The monitor is developed to measure the soil and stain removal of industrial laundry processes. The monitor contains different kinds of soils/stains, each one equivalent to a different kind of soil, which may occur on normal laundry. For instance laundry from hospitals, food industry, restaurants etc.

Using the monitor is very easy. It is washed once with the washing process to be tested. After drying the results can be measured and compared with the reference values.

To obtain these values we test the monitors with a standard washing process (with oxygen bleach) that is highly controlled. The resulting values of this process are called: reference values. With these values it is possible to compare the results of the tested process with the standard process, giving an indication of the quality of the tested process.

 

There are four kinds of soil/stains on the monitor±

• Oil/pigments Oily soils occur in all kinds of laundry, even in hospital laundry. For example: ointments, paraffin, human grease, entrapped dust etc.
• Food Model for food stains. A food stain is a complex kind of soil. It contains fat, protein, carbohydrates and pigments.
• Bleachable In this case wine. The removal of this kind of stain gives also a good impression of the removal of fruit juices and tea.
• Protein/blood To check the protein/blood removal of the process. Even if there is no blood present in the laundry other soil types containing protein can be present like food stains.

The monitor serves different purposes. The main one is to check the overall performance of the washing process by comparing the results with reference values. It is also possible to use the monitor without these values to compare different types of machines, chemicals, etc. The monitors are then visually assessed or measured with a tristimulus reflection meter. Measuring the results is of course preferable.

Another very useful application is to upgrade a washing process. With the information obtained from the monitor, it is possible to trace shortcomings and possible problems of the tested process.

Dutch laundries can achieve a total quality certificate based on EN 29000. The monitors are used for this purpose to obtain an impartial measurement.

 

The monitors can be bought with and without analysis. Reports are available in the next languages: Dutch, English, French and German.

One set of monitors consists of six individual pieces of standard cotton with the four soil types attached. One set is to be used completely to monitor one washing process.

Oxygen can have a negative effect on the quality of the monitor. This is why excessive oxygen in the package is removed with an oxygen binder. The set is sealed to prevent new oxygen from entering the package. The package also protects the monitor against UV light.